Digital Commons Network^™

Learning For All, Barry Cohen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that all students acquired similar learned material without considering their socioeconomic background. Through social interaction and technology, the intern provided an environment of equal learning between both groups. Through a case study, both third grade groups identified one's academic, cultural, economic, and historical backgrounds. In addition, this study demonstrated that the teachers' expectations were vital in the students' learning process. By setting attainable expectations, both groups were exposed to an academic and social learning experience.

Mayan Metate Ethnoarchaeology, Michael T. Searcy

Theses and Dissertations

Manos and metates are ubiquitous at archaeological sites in Mesoamerica. Unfortunately, grinding stones are understudied, and thus, not much is understood about them. Understanding that archaeology is based on the use of analogy to infer past life-ways, little work has been done to create analogies specifically for manos and metates. The purpose of this thesis is to study modern grinding stones used by Mayans living in Guatemala to better understand manos and metates used by ancient peoples. I worked for two field seasons in Guatemala recording the life histories of manos and metates used by the Q'eqchi' and K'iche', two …

The Relationships Among Literacy, Church Activity And Religious Orientation: A Study Of Adult Members Of The Lds Church In Utah County, Bruce R. Brewer

Theses and Dissertations

The study assessed the interplay among literacy, church activity, and religious orientation and examined the extent to which literacy predicts church activity in the presence of private religious behavior. One hundred fifty-seven subjects were administered measures of intrinsic religiousness, extrinsic religiousness, literacy levels and measures of church activity. The findings from this study suggest that literacy is related to activity, but in a way that is more complex than many investigators have considered. The results of the multiple regression analysis helped clarify the ability of literacy to predict church activity in the presence of religious orientation. Results further indicated that …

The Effects Of Direct Supervision On Therapist Behavior: A Functional Analysis, Shawn L. Thurber

Theses and Dissertations

Live (Direct) Supervision has always been key to training therapists. However, little research has been done to determine which type of direct supervision is most effective in changing therapist behavior. This study compared bug-in-the-ear (BITE), phone-in, and computer assisted (CA) supervision. The purpose of this study was to (a) complete functional analysis of each supervision type via an alternating feedback session, to determine each therapists' most effective form of supervision; (b) determine the effect of using the most-effective form of supervision on the therapists' adherence to treatment protocols during follow-up sessions; (c) determine the effect of therapist adherence on client …

Contextual Relationship Model Across Four Cultures, Gary T. Horlacher

Theses and Dissertations

Research by a number of scholars working with different data has shown validity for a contextual model of relationships whereby a person's background characteristics affects or predicts her/his interpersonal style, which then affects or predicts her/his relationship satisfaction. This study tests if this relationship model is equivalent across four different cultural samples. This research also presents descriptive family data on a sample from Micronesia, a culture that has not previously been described in family science literature, compared to three other cultural groups. A total of 550 individuals from Micronesian (N=131), Hispanic-Americans (N=139), Non-LDS Caucasians (N=140), and LDS-Caucasians (N=140) filled out …

Modeling And Analysis Of Clandestine Networks, Clinton R. Clark

Theses and Dissertations

Since Sept. 11, 2001, there has been great interest in the military and intelligence communities in using Social Network Analysis (SNA) to support the disruption and destruction of global terrorist networks. SNA results, however, tend to be descriptive and are limited due to the lack of advantageous properties of the relationship measures applied to the arcs in a social network. Further, SNA techniques generally focus on a single network context while real relationships are based in multiple contexts. This thesis develops a new proxy measure of pair-wise potential influence between members of a network, a Holistic Interpersonal Influence Measure (HIIM). …

Investigating The Complexities Of Nation-Building: A Sub-National Regional Perspective, Matthew J. Robbins

Theses and Dissertations

Stabilization and reconstruction operations are necessary to secure and maintain the peace in the aftermath of conflict. The complexities of nation-building involve many different but interrelated systems and institutions. The basic structure of a country may or may not remain; its political, economic, and judicial systems, cultural, educational, medical, and military institutions, and critical infrastructure all vitally contribute to the overall progression of stability and prosperity. Understanding the significance of the dynamic relationships between the forces in play during stability and reconstruction operations is paramount to the successful conclusion of such missions. The system dynamics model proposed in this research …

Informal Influences In The Process Of Idiq Contractor Selection For Task Award, Jason E. Blevins

Theses and Dissertations

The selection of a contractor for task award using the Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract often involves dynamics and relationships that are difficult to understand. There are unanswered questions that relate to how government agents define "best value" to the government. The selection decisions often differ between government agents. The government streamlined the acquisition process by creating the multiple award IDIQ contract. Government agents are relied upon to make sound business judgments in determining which contractor represents the best value to the government. Informal influences can impact the determination of the final selection of a contractor. This thesis attempts …

Usable Design Of Civil Engineer Information Systems, Gunther Kastenholz

Theses and Dissertations

This research used a case study methodology where one instrument used to collect data was a heuristic usability inspection method. Data was collected from a literature review of pertinent Civil Engineer information system design documents, and conclusions drawn about the existing level of specification of usability engineering principles. The heuristic usability inspection method was used to validate the conclusions drawn through inspection of an information system representative of other Civil Engineer information systems, the Automated Civil Engineer System Personnel Readiness module.

Efficient Generation Of Social Network Data From Computer-Mediated Communication Logs, Jason Wei Sung Yee

Theses and Dissertations

The insider threat poses a significant risk to any network or information system. A general definition of the insider threat is an authorized user performing unauthorized actions, a broad definition with no specifications on severity or action. While limited research has been able to classify and detect insider threats, it is generally understood that insider attacks are planned, and that there is a time period in which the organization's leadership can intervene and prevent the attack. Previous studies have shown that the person's behavior will generally change, and it is possible that social network analysis could be used to observe …

A Study Investigating The College Choice Process Of Selected Freshmen Minority Undergraduate Students At Rowan University, Philip K. Oware

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to investigate the college choice process of selected freshmen minority undergraduate students at Rowan University. Convenience sampling was used to select 66 minority freshmen undergraduate students. Data were collected using a questionnaire consisting of 29 items. Descriptive analysis employed included frequency distribution and calculation of mean and the corresponding dispersion (standard deviation) where applicable. The relationship between each item/statement and the attitude dimension variable according to the responses of all the students was established using Spearman Correlation. Eighty-four percent of the subjects strongly agreed or agreed that the financial aid they received was opportunity …

Analysis Of The Learning-Style Preferences Of Entry-Level, Upper-Division Undergraduate/Graduate Students In Allied Health Identified With Analytic And Global Format Learning-Style Assessments, Dawn Marie Morton-Rias

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this researcher was to identify learning styles of undergraduate and graduate students in allied health and to examine correlations among identified learning-style scores and students’ gender, ethnicity, and age. The goals were to compare learning-style preferences and provide students, faculty, staff, and administrators with empirical information on student learning. One hundred and fifty-four ethnically diverse students participated in the study. The Productivity Environmental Preference Survey (PEPS) (Dunn & Dunn, & Price, 1996) and Building Excellence (BE) (Rundle & Dunn, 2000) were completed by a sample of 87 students. Correlation analyses confirmed relationships between student learning-styles identified with …

An Exploratory Study Of The Members At A Latino Organiation [Sic], Michael P. Stevens

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Teen Mothers' Perceptions Of Medicalization And The Patient/Provider Relationship, Preston Martin-Lyon

Theses and Dissertations

Within the past twenty years, a great deal of research has addressed pregnancy and childbirth in the United States. Often, however, prior studies have focused on white middle-class women and have neglected the experiences of women of color and low-income women. Teen mothers have also been marginalized in past research. With few exceptions, the limited research that does exist on African American teen mothers is usually framed around the "teen pregnancy crisis" in the U.S; seldom are teens included in studies dealing with the overall issue of medicalization. In an effort to understand the extent to which the medical model …

The Financial Feasibility Of Marriage For Women Receiving Tanf: An Analysis Of Six States, Sally Margaret Brocksen

Theses and Dissertations

This project employed a descriptive case study methodology guided by rational choice theory to examine the financial feasibility of marriage for low income women. By modeling the income and expenses of eight different low income family types in six states (Arizona, California, New York, Oklahoma, Virginia, and Wisconsin) this study illustrates the financial situation of various low income families. The family types under investigation include: a single parent family, a family receiving TANF, cohabiting couple with two wage earners, cohabiting couple with one wage earner, a married family with two wage earners, a married couple with one wage earner, a …

The Etoile Du Deseret: Portrait Of The French Mission, 1851-1852, Douglas James Geilman

Theses and Dissertations

One of John Taylor's most significant achievements during his mission to France, 1849-1851, was the publication of a French-language Latter-day Saint periodical, the Etoile du Déséret. Appearing in twelve issues from May 1851 to December 1852, the Etoile served a variety of functions for the earliest missionaries and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in France. A study of its historical context and of its contents allows readers a glimpse into the circumstances under which the missionaries labored and into the needs of the growing Church. Furthermore, the Etoile provides a vivid example of John …

The Need, Feasibility, And Means Of Establishing A Speech Center, Julie Carter Irvin

Theses and Dissertations

According to Tom Shachtman, "the speech of too few people achieves eloquence, and that of the vast majority does not even reach a tolerable level of articulate behavior" (5). Articulate behavior has not always been a rare characteristic; from antiquity through the mid-twentieth century, the study of rhetoric was privileged and considered necessary for a well-rounded education. If today's society is inarticulate, then how can eloquence and articulateness be reintroduced as staples of a successful person in today's society? The answer is easy - through the study of rhetoric. After examining the study of rhetoric from antiquity to the present, …

The Effects Of Consolidation On Extracurricular Activity Participation In Selected Arkansas High Schools, David W. Collins

Theses and Dissertations

School reform initiatives have commonly included the highly controversial practice of school consolidation. These efforts by educators and lawmakers have been made to improve the quality and limit the cost of the educational system. While research exists on many effects of consolidation, findings have been mixed in determining the overall effectiveness of consolidating schools. Research has generally indicated a strong relationship between student participation in extracurricular activities and higher levels of student achievement. Little, if any, research has been conducted on the relationship between school consolidation and extracurricular activity participation. This study was conducted to determine the effects of consolidation …

Fathers' Religious And Family Involvement At Home; And Work And Family Outcomes, Roxane O. Whyte

Theses and Dissertations

This study proposes and confirms two new predictors of work and family outcomes, thus far unexplored in existing work-family literature: fathers' religious involvement at home and fathers' family involvement at home. It is the first study to date to document that these produce a crossover effect to positively influence work-related outcomes including work-family conflict, work-family fit and job satisfaction.
Data come from employed married fathers and their spouses participating in the 2001 BYU Marriott School of Management Alumni Work and Family Survey (n = 210), all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Findings are that …

Faculty Perceptions Of Academic Freedom At A Metropolitan University: A Case Study, Zachary Grant Goodell

Theses and Dissertations

This research study examines how faculty perceive academic freedom at a metropolitan university. Thirty structured interviews were conducted with social science faculty, who have been tenured for 10 years or more, at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). These faculty came from the departments of Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology, Political Science, Urban Studies, Criminal Justice, Women’s Studies, and African-American Studies. The following five questions were the central research questions: (a) how do core faculty in the social sciences at VCU define academic freedom; (b) do these same faculty perceive academic freedom to be a significant feature of a career in higher education; (c) …

Codes Of Interaction, Timothy Michael Martin

Theses and Dissertations

The ideas within this thesis are meant to clarify my explorations, research and painting practice during my studies at Virginia Commonwealth University. I expand on my general statements about being fascinated by advancing technologies and concerned about the after effects of these advancements. The writing explores my curiosity about the internal, skeletal structure of things and how they operate. I explain how the paintings are idiosyncratic hybrids that evoke animation, imaginary scientific propositions, blueprints, maps, and advancing technologies. The work combines these interests with my observations of day-to-day experiences. Isolated events provide found compositions which I then manipulate: a seemingly …

The Experience Of Decision Making In Adolescent Females And Young Women With Mobility Limiting Disorders, Bernice Balzer Allen

Theses and Dissertations

Young women with mobility limiting disorders face many challenges as they move through adolescence into young adulthood. In addition to the challenges of this developmental period, they must consider their disability as they manage their lives. Competent decision making is a foundational skill for self-management and for transition in adulthood. It is also a protective factor for resilience.There is little research on decision making in adolescents with disabilities. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the decision making experiences of female adolescents and young women with mobility limiting disorders. Theoretical underpinnings for the study included Resilience Theory …

Families, Farming, And Crisis : Perceptions By Men And Women, Bobbi Jo M Flemming

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Rounding Third And Heading For Home : The Process And Production Of A One Man Show, Ryan M. Haider

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Socialization Of Religious Beliefs And Practices : An Analysis Of Laypersons In A Small Upper-Midwestern City, Paul Knudson

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Nontraditional Student Needs : A Study Of The Perceived Needs Of The Nontraditional Student Population In The Und Apartment Housing Community, Malia Young

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Motives Behind The Use Of Visual Artifacts In Catholicism And Sunni Islam : Contribution To Discussion Of Representation, Alevtina Naumova

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Internet And Political Campaign Advertising : A Content Analysis, Anita L. Herold

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Shifts In The Structure Of British Imperialism In The Mid To Late Victorian Period, Josiah J. Patrow

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Juvenilia And Children's Culture In Georgian England: An Introduction To "Julia Or Virtue", Melissa J. Brotton

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the early life and writings of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and seeks to explain the development of her literary disposition and the art she created in the light of her culture and society, bringing to print for the first time her juvenile novel, “Julia or Virtue.”

EBB, growing up in late Georgian England, was in many ways influenced by Georgian culture - its customs, manners, styles, and aesthetics. She was subject to its predominant beliefs concerning the education of girls and the codified virtues that attended such an education. Children of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries occupied a …